


Was fühl ich in mir?

by xslytherclawx



Series: Shamballa 'verse [3]
Category: Fullmetal Alchemist, Fullmetal Alchemist (Anime 2003), Fullmetal Alchemist: Conqueror of Shamballa
Genre: Angst, F/M, M/M, Multi, Weimar Germany
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-06-22
Updated: 2013-08-06
Packaged: 2017-12-15 19:31:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 4,507
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/853224
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xslytherclawx/pseuds/xslytherclawx
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Edward gets lost and runs into a familiar face.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> as just a forewarning: this fic assumes that both Edward and Roy are bi, so. That shouldn't offend anyone (this is '03 'verse; I'm pretty sure _everyone_ in there was bi), but if it does, you know not to read.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Gesundbrunnen is a locality in the Berlin district of Wedding; after the industrial revolution, Wedding was home to many factory workers who lived in tenements. Gesundbrunnen was a slightly better off district than Wedding proper. Also! In the 1920s in Wedding, there were literal street fights between nazi sympathisers and communists. It was known as "Red Wedding" because of this.  
> Mitte is another district in Berlin. It's often referred to as the centre of old Berlin, and, while not as affluent as Tiergarten, Steglitz, or Zehlendorf, it is not home to tenement houses filled with factory workers.
> 
> Haidhausen is a locality in Munich which was home to the Beer Hall where Hitler had his Putsch, so, I'd assume, also home to Ed and Alfons.

Edward Elric wasn't entirely sure what he was doing in the theatre district; he supposed that he must have gotten lost. He cursed under his breath. He knew the name of the neighbourhood where he and Alfons lived, of course, and he could just ask for that... provided they didn't laugh at his accent.

That was enough reason to keep him from asking any of the people near him.

Instead, he wandered down more unfamiliar streets, trying to keep an eye out for any familiar buildings or street names, until he certain that he was utterly and hopelessly lost.

Edward groaned; it appeared that he had no choice. He'd have to ask for help.

“Excuse me...” he approached a blonde woman standing next to a man whom Edward could only assume was her husband. Like a lot of older women he'd seen in the city, this one wore a dress with a pouffy skirt. Ed couldn't imagine how that was comfortable. “Do you know how to get to Haidhausen from here? I'm from... Berlin,” he added, trying to explain away his accent. “I'm not really familiar with this area.”

The woman tapped her husband on the shoulder. “Wernher, darling, this young man wants to know how to get to Haidhausen.”

The man looked over at him, and Edward started. He was older, certainly, and he had brown eyes instead of blue-black, but... the man was almost a dead ringer for Roy Mustang.

“Oh, yes, of course...” the Mustang lookalike said, turning his full attention to Edward. “You turn left down here onto Maximilianstraße, continue over Maximiliansbrücke... at the Maximilianeum, you want to stay on the right... although I suppose it doesn't really matter as they both converge...”

Edward nodded blankly. “That's... a left down there and then... go straight until that big building?”

“Yes... then you're going to reach Sckellstraße, where you turn left... that opens on Weiner Platz, doesn't it, darling?” the man looked to the woman at his side for confirmation, which made Edward even more uncomfortable.

“That's right... then... I believe you go to Steinstraße? It's slightly left...” 

“Well, from there I think... you should probably know where you are.” 

“So I just go straight and then turn left... and then it should look familiar?” Edward asked.

“Yes. I'm sorry I can't be of more help... I used to live in Haidhausen, but it was over twenty years ago... I'm afraid I don't remember it much.”

“That's fine. You've helped enough.”

The doppelgänger smiled. “I'm glad to be of service.” He hesitated, but apparently decided to say what had been on his mind: “I'm sorry, but... did you say that you were from Berlin?”

Ed shrugged. “Yeah.”

“Where? I grew up in Gesundbrunnen in Wedding myself.”

Edward hesitated. He didn't really know any of the names of the districts within Berlin, let alone what they were _like_.... He decided to say the same. “Uh, I didn't grow up too far from there...”

“Your accent sounds a bit unfamiliar... but my parents live in Mitte now, and it's been years since I've been to Wedding. The accent's probably changed a bit, I'd imagine.” He waved a hand dismissively, and Ed felt immensely relieved.

“Uh... right. Well. Thanks for the help.” Ed shifted awkwardly on his feet, unsure of any other social obligations that he might have. 

“Oh, of course. My wife and I are glad to be of service.”

 _Wife_. Well, that only confirmed what Ed had been dreading. He forced himself to smile and nod. “I'll just be going now...” 

The man nodded, and Ed left, following the directions that he had been given to get back to Haidhausen.

He felt vaguely sick. Was this some kind of cruel joke? The one person he'd asked for directions had turned out to be Mustang's double – and what was worse, he was married to some blonde woman! He couldn't help but wonder what this Mustang was like – was his name even Mustang? There was no alchemy on this side of the Gate, so what was he interested in? Had he been in the military? How in the _world_ did he end up _married_ to some blonde woman? It might be understandable if the woman were _Hawkeye's_ double, but this woman looked absolutely _nothing_ like Hawkeye, either.

Ed tried to shake it off, but he couldn't. He only just managed to focus enough on where he was going to avoid getting lost again, but once he was back in a familiar area, he allowed himself to dwell on what had just happened. He managed to stumble into the beer hall and order a beer before letting his thoughts overtake him completely.

He had known, of course, that there was no chance with the _real_ Mustang. Even assuming that Mustang _liked_ men, Ed was his subordinate, and Mustang was too damn determined to get involved with any of his subordinates... especially one fourteen years his junior.

Still, Ed supposed that he'd been hoping that if he found Mustang's double, the man would be more... open to the idea of a relationship. Clearly that was not the case. Even though Ed wasn't exactly good at reading romantic interactions, it was clear to him that the double had absolutely _adored_ his wife. The way that that man had looked at her... called her _darling_... Ed wondered what he had done to deserve this hell.

Living with Alfons was hard enough, when he looked so much like Al, who Ed loved more than _anything_... but there was Hughes's double, and Fräulein Gratia, too. He should've known it was only a matter of time before he saw some other parallel – he'd just hoped that it had been Hawkeye on her own, or maybe Havoc or Breda or Fuery. Even one of the Tringham brothers would have been easier to bear than Roy Mustang – especially when this world's Mustang was _married_ to a woman. 

He paid his 50,000 marks for his beer, grumbling about the inflation, and ordered something a little stronger. This was going to be a long night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So... the alter!Roy, Wernher Muhlfeld, is married to a woman who is technically an older version of alter!Catherine Armstrong. But, as Ed has never met Catherine, he wouldn't know that.
> 
> You can read my character study on Wernher [here](http://archiveofourown.org/works/850111/chapters/1634126)!
> 
> I'm setting this chapter in the middle of June 1923, and my reference for the inflation is [here](http://www.history.ucsb.edu/faculty/marcuse/projects/currency.htm), and historical money converter [here](http://futureboy.us/fsp/dollar.fsp?). I'm assuming about $5.50 for a beer in today's money, and then taking the average for the month of June for the inflation.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Edward goes back to the theatre district.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You should know Haidhausen from the previous chapter.
> 
> -Liebling is a German term of endearment. "Liebchen" iirc was also used around this time, but it's really dated now.  
> -Lehel is an area of Munich on the river, near many museums and not too far from a number of theatres.  
> -Again, around late June 1923, so very few people are buying new clothes to go to the theatre.  
> -Freiin is the title used for the daughter of a baron. (in full it's Freiherrin, meaning the female version of a Freiherr, or baron). It differs from Freifrau in that a Freifrau is the wife of a baron, a Freiin is the daughter.  
> -As it's 1923, it's not very proper for the daughter of a baron to be running around with boys, even though this one is her fiancé. Elisabeth doesn't care. Or, rather, she doesn't care as long as her mother doesn't find out.  
> -I'm sure you gathered that Anika is Rolf's maid. He's pretty damn rich.  
> -Englischer Garten: English Gardens in Munich. It's a very popular place to visit. (and it took me three tries to write "the" instead of the German particle).

It had been a full week since he'd met Mustang's double, and Ed found himself back in the theatre district. It hadn't been intentional, but perhaps on some level it had been subconscious. He had tried to avoid thinking about his chance meeting, but to no avail.

It was strange that Mustang's double had affected him so much when he _lived_ with his brother's double. He was sure that Alphonse was the most important person in the world to him, and it was only when he was very drunk that Edward had any issue with living with Alfons. Why, then, did it bother him so much that he'd seen Mustang's double? The man had been alive and well, and he hadn't been anything more than polite...

Perhaps that had been it. It had just been unnerving to see someone who looked so like Mustang to be so _polite_ to him – even _nice_ – that must have been it. That, coupled with the fact that he had all but given up on the idea of finding any more doppelgängers... and the fact that this Mustang lookalike had been with some woman who didn't even look _vaguely_ familiar.... Ed decided that he had just been expecting to see Mustang's double with Hawkeye or Hughes's double. After all, Hawkeye was almost always at Mustang's side... it made sense. 

Or, at least, it made enough sense that Edward was able to convince himself that _that_ was the reason why he was so unsettled. 

Still, he had no idea what he was doing in the theatre district. He certainly had no intentions of seeing a play; he didn't have the money, even if he were interested – which he most certainly was not. Ed didn't see the point in the arts, especially in a society like the Weimar Republic. People needed science and reason to get them out of the depression... they didn't need foolish escapism which would only make reality seem all the more harsh.

As Edward glowered at nothing in particular, a matinée showing in a nearby theatre let out. The crowd flooded the sidewalk, which only served to annoy Edward further. He cursed under his breath and pressed against the theatre until the crowd, chattering loudly, had passed him. He couldn't help but catch sight of their clothes – quality varied, as was only to be expected with the economy, but the theatregoers were all much more well dressed than Edward on his best days.

Maybe it was time to go back to Haidhausen. 

As he'd turned to leave – the other way from most of the patrons, from what it seemed, he literally ran into someone. He hadn't knocked them over, but he apologised nonetheless, keeping his head down and his gaze focused intently on a crack in the pavement.

“Oh, no, _I'm_ sorry,” the other person – a young man from the sound of the voice – insisted. “I should have watched where I was going.” 

Ed heard a huff from the same general area. “Rolf, why in the world are _you_ apologising? He ran into you, not the other way around.” He heard a slight rustle of silk and chanced a look up – and he found himself looking at a younger version of Hawkeye. The girl looked to be about his own age, and she was _furious_. She glared at the young man – who looked almost identical to the man who Edward had run into the previous week. Unlike the older man, however, this young man even had the same _eye colour_ as Mustang had. Edward found it impossible, but the evidence was in front of him and impossible to deny. But how in the world were there _two_ Mustang lookalikes? And in the same city? They _had_ to be related.

The younger, newer Mustang double gave his girlfriend a look. “I'm being _polite_.”

“There's polite, and then there's ridiculous. Polite would be asking if he were hurt or apologising if _you_ had run into _him_. Ridiculous is what you're doing now.” 

The dark-haired young man rolled his eyes and leaned in close to the girl to whisper something in her ear. She still didn't look impressed, so the young man kissed her cheek and said aloud, “I _promise_ that I'll make it up to you, liebling.”

The girl considered this thoughtfully, smirked slightly (before realising herself and covering it up with a smile), and whispered something in his ear. He looked hesitant, but nodded.

Feeling rather sick from this whole show, Ed had half a mind to leave... and yet he couldn't bring himself to move.

“I'm... sorry about that,” the young man said instead. “Were you coming from the play?” 

Ed shook his head. “I was just walking around... I don't have that kind of money to blow.” 

The other young man looked rather sorry. “I'm Rolf Muhlfeld.” He offered his hand for Ed to shake, which he hesitantly did. 

“Edward Elric.”

“Elric? That's an interesting surname.”

He shrugged, and Mustang – no, Muhlfeld – seemed to take his silence as an invitation to introduce the girl. 

“This is my fiancée, Fräulein Elisabeth Freiin von Brandt.”

The girl extended her gloved hand for Edward to shake, purely out of propriety's sake, he was sure. Edward very quickly shook the girl's hand before dropping it. He tried desperately to think of what Freiin meant, but he was at a loss.

“Um, 'm sorry for running into you,” Edward muttered, mostly so the girl would stop _looking_ at him expectantly. God, what could anyone see in a girl like this? Even if she _was_ Hawkeye's double, Ed was sure that Hawkeye hadn't been this way when she was this girl's age.

“Oh, it's not an issue. Fräulein von Brandt and I wanted to wait until most everyone had gone before leaving to get some lunch... I've been in there since ten this morning.”

Elisabeth looked satisfied with herself, and Ed was just confused... until he glanced up at the marquee. “Oh.” He wasn't sure what he'd expected Mustang's double to do, but acting had been _farthest_ from his thoughts. Even politics, he thought, would make more sense. In fact, he'd wondered more than once if Mustang's double wasn't a politician in Berlin, and that's why Ed hadn't seen him despite being in Munich for years. But no... Mustang's double was an actor. 

“It's a bit of a family trade,” Muhlfeld explained. “My father came down from Berlin in '98 to try to make it as an actor... and, well, I'm living proof that he did. Perhaps you've heard of him? His name is Wernher Muhlfeld... even if you don't have money to go to the theatre, he's fairly well-known...”

Oh, Edward knew Wernher Muhlfeld, although not from how Rolf Muhlfeld assumed he did. “Uh... yeah, I've heard of him,” Ed said instead. He could definitely see the relation between the man he'd assumed to be Mustang's double and this young man... whose apparently genuine kindness made Edward wary.

“You should really see one of his shows sometime. He's much better than I could ever hope to be.” At this point Muhfeld's fiancée rolled her eyes and told him that he was being ridiculous, and Muhlfeld shrugged. “He does some shows for really cheap from time to time... he, uh, was really poor when he came to the city, and he likes to do things to, uh, boost morale, you know? You just missed a free show he did in one of the parks near the university.”

“I see...” Edward said. Were this man anyone else's double, he'd promptly inform them that he had absolutely no interest in seeing a play – that he found the theatre quite a waste of time – but he couldn't. Especially not when Muhlfeld seemed so _genuine_. “I'll keep an eye out,” he added, although in truth he had no intention of doing such a thing.

Muhlfeld smiled. “Great! You should have seen the park the other day... there were _masses_ of people...” 

“ _Rolf_ ,” the girl half-whined. “I'm getting hungry. Can't you make small talk _after_ lunch?”

“Oh, right!” He kissed his fiancée on the cheek. “By your house or mine?”

“We're only a few blocks from your house... can't you have Anika cook something for us to enjoy _together_ , hmm?”

“She's off today, and I don't want to call her in just to have her cook us lunch...” 

“Then call your father and have him send someone over.”

Rolf rolled his eyes. “And if my mother or sister pick up the phone and ask why Father's sending the cook over to my apartment when I'm perfectly capable of walking to Lehel if I want something cooked at home?” 

Elisabeth pouted. “But I'd much rather eat in...” 

“We could always go to your parents' house.”

She frowned. “You know what I mean.”

Rolf rolled his eyes again. “Do we really have to discuss this here? We can eat out, and then we can go back to my apartment and I can, um, play the piano? I just got a new record in as well, for the phonograph.”

“I suppose... but it had better be a _very_ good record... I'm not coming over to your apartment for something I can listen to at home, you know.”

Even Edward caught onto _that_ innuendo. “I, um, should get back home... it's kind of a long walk.”

Rolf nodded. “I _am_ sorry, again.” 

Ed shrugged. “Don't worry about it. I ran into you.”

“It was nice talking to you... and please do try to see my father at least once. I think he's doing something in the Englischer Garten sometime next month... I think it's Molière.”

“Uh... right. I'll try to see it if I can. It, um, was nice talking to you, too.” He forced a smile before waving and heading back to Haidhausen. Once he was sure that he was out of their sight, he broke out in a run.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> woo no crazy price calculations.  
> Again, Wernher's [chapter](http://archiveofourown.org/works/850111/chapters/1634126) is up, and I'm working on Elisabeth's chapter.  
> [I finished Rolf's chapter](http://archiveofourown.org/works/850111/chapters/1659272)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> not many notes this chapter, but: 
> 
> \- Käseknödeln: a type of cheese dumpling. very delicious.  
> \- Kartoffelpuffer: potato pancakes. I'm just being pretentious now.  
> \- Birnenbrand: Pear schnapps; minimum 40% ABV  
> \- Obstbrand: Schnapps in general (Bavaria)  
> \- Abitur: final exam a student at the Gymnasium sits; it allows for university entrance.

Alfons had not in any capacity been expecting Edward to return for a few hours, and, as such, had taken to entertaining his childhood friend, Wilhelmine Raskoph. She had come over, and they had entertained themselves, so to speak, for about an hour, until Wilhelmine got hungry.

It had taken a bit longer than perhaps completely necessary, but by the time Edward returned, Alfons and Wilhelmine were sitting at the kitchen table, fully clothed, eating Käseknödeln and Kartoffelpuffer.

Edward had met Wilhelmine before, but today of all days he did not want to see another somewhat familiar face. He was certain that Wilhelmine merely viewed him as Alfons's (mentally unstable, he was sure) roommate. They certainly hadn't had the history that he and Winry had had... and he didn't know what, exactly, her business with Alfons was, but he knew well enough that he wasn't involved there, either.

Alfons smiled and greeted him. “I think we have enough left over if you're hungry,” he'd added.

Edward hesitated. He was hungry, but he wasn't sure that he wanted to put up with Alfons and Wilhelmine after what had happened earlier.

Alfons, fortunately, seemed to understand that something wasn't quite right. “Why don't you go lay down and I'll bring you something? You look tired.”

“Yeah, I think I got lost again and ended up walking home from... well, I don't know where, exactly.”

Alfons nodded. “Do you want me to get you something to drink, too?”

Edward thought on it. “Something strong.”

“...It's two-thirty in the afternoon.”

Ed shrugged. “I'll be in my room.” He waved shortly at Wilhelmine, acknowledging her presence, before going into his room and throwing himself on the bed.

He couldn't figure out why seeing Mustang's younger alter had affected him so much more than seeing the older man had. To be sure, it had been surprising to see not one, but _two_ men who looked like his old CO, but... this... _Rolf Muhlfeld_ person... Ed couldn't stop thinking about him. Wilhelmine's presence didn't even especially bother him most times he saw her, despite the fact that she looked – save her colouring – exactly like Winry. He barely thought about her when she wasn't around... why was he still thinking about Rolf Muhlfeld?

Perhaps it was the eyes. Alfons's eyes were a greenish blue – a completely different colour from his brother's. Wilhelmine, too, had brown eyes, rather than Winry's steel blue. Alfons and Wilhelmine, too, had different hair colours. It wasn't a drastic difference in either case – all four were still _blonde_ – but it had been much easier to deal with. The other Muhlfeld had had brown eyes, which had provided some level of relief.

But _this_ Muhlfeld – the younger one – he had looked almost _identical_ to Roy Mustang. He had had the same dark hair, the same blue-black eyes... there was, to be sure, a bit of something _missing_ from Muhlfeld that Mustang had had... perhaps it was something lost in his cheekbones, or the shape of the eye. But even with that... it had been entirely unsettling to meet Muhlfeld... and his fiancée. More so than it had been to meet the man's father... which was saying something.

Edward supposed that the girl was pretty – she looked like a made-up Hawkeye, with her bright red lipstick and dark eye makeup, and Hawkeye was pretty enough. The girl – Elisabeth – had donned a fancy silk dress that Ed was sure no one in Haidhausen would be able to afford. Their encounter had left a bad taste in his mouth. All of the other doppelgängers had been nice enough, but this Elisabeth girl had acted like Edward was some kind of leper. What could Mustang's double possibly see in that girl? She seemed _awful_ , and Mustang – _Muhlfeld_ – had seemed... well, _nice_. Nice enough to apologise to someone who had run into him – someone who _clearly_ wasn't even of the same social calibre. Why was he with _that_ girl?

Before Edward could ruminate on this much more, there was a knock on the door and Alfons entered with a tray. “Is Birnenbrand good?”

Ed looked up. “Where did you get Birnenbrand?”

“My uncle sent some over with Wilhelmine. His friend sent it to him with a few other bottles of their homemade brandy, and no one in my uncle's house can stand anything with pears.”

“Is it strong?”

“It's Obstbrand.” Alfons said by way of reply as he sat the tray down on the desk. “Do you need anything else?”

“Just... don't bother me, okay?”

Alfons nodded. “Wil and I were going to go to the park, anyway. She wants me to help her study for her Abitur, and it's nice out.”

Edward waved his hand, and his brother's double left, closing the door behind him.

Once he was sure that Alfons and Wilhelmine had left the apartment, Ed got out of bed and looked at the tray. There was a plate with some of those potato pancake things he liked, and some Käseknödeln, which Alfons had put on top of some kind of sauce. And, of course, there was a full bottle of the Birnenbrand with a glass. Ed opted to eat first and drink later, when he'd sated his hunger. Besides, the food looked good, which seemed to be a rarity in Munich.

He wasn't entirely sure how Alfons always managed to keep food in the apartment, and he didn't wonder too much on it. As long as Alfons was up to sharing – which he was – Edward didn't really care where the food came from. His roommate wasn't a bad cook, either, although Ed was sure that it wasn't restaurant quality. It was better than what he could manage, himself, and he was satisfied enough with that. The food was neither burnt nor undercooked, at least. 

Edward finished his meal in the solitude of his room before opening up the Birnenbrand. He knew that Alfons had given him a glass for a reason, and he rather hesitantly poured the alcohol into the glass. Maybe he'd manage to moderate himself this way, although in truth he knew he wouldn't. It had not been a good day, and alcohol seemed like the only thing that could help...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> woo no crazy price calculations.  
> Again, [Wernher](http://archiveofourown.org/works/850111/chapters/1634126) and [Rolf's](http://archiveofourown.org/works/850111/chapters/1659272) chapters are up, and I'm working on Elisabeth's chapter.  
> 


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and now for an ~interlude~  
> featuring some alters who, well, aren't exactly from the FMA1 universe.
> 
>  
> 
> this actually takes place after ["Ulterior Motives"](http://archiveofourown.org/works/874566/chapters/1680658) from my AlMei Week 2013 collection.  
> Ed is 22, Al is 17, Mei is 16, and Ling is 21
> 
>  
> 
> **cultural notes**  
>  -Mariendorf in the 1920s was a poor neighbourhood that was annexed into Berlin in 1920. Lots of tenements and pretty much everyone in the neighbourhood was poor  
> -Schöneberg was home to the 1920s' gay rights movements in Germany; it was more of an ~artist's neighbourhood~ and was the centre of gay culture in Germany during the Weimar Republic

It had been four years since Edward had seen any more doppelgängers. Alfons had died in November 1923, the same day that Ed had crossed the Gate, saved Amestris, and then returned back to Munich... only to find that Al had accompanied him. Shortly after Alfons's funeral, Ed and Al had fled Munich, and headed instead for Berlin.

They settled down in a cheap apartment in a working class neighbourhood south of the city centre. It was, perhaps not coincidentally, close to the artists' district... which had become a thriving centre of culture for those who were not exactly interested in settling down with someone of the opposite sex.

Alphonse knew about his brother, of course, although he himself was solely interested in girls. To that point, he had managed to pluck up the nerve to ask the cute girl at the Chinese restaurant out on a date, and now they were in a rather serious relationship. The girl, Mei, was a year younger than him, but she insisted that at sixteen, she was old enough to know who she wanted to marry – and that was Alphonse.

The boy in question adored his girlfriend, and tried his very best to spoil her. He and Mei had met when Mei's older brother had been assigned as Alphonse's physics tutor – as physics didn't exist in Amestris as it did in Germany – and the girl, from the start, had been quite taken with Alphonse. It had taken almost a full year before Alphonse realised why he kept coming back to the Chinese restaurant – and it had taken another six months before he'd worked up the nerve to ask Mei if she might enjoy going to the cinema with him sometime.

To his complete surprise, Mei's brother, Ling, had been thrilled. He'd clapped Alphonse on the shoulder and told him that he was a “good kid”, but then proceeded to warn him that if he hurt Mei, he would be in for a world of pain. Alphonse had assured his former tutor that he would _never_ hurt Mei, and... here they were, almost two years later, happy as could be.

The same could not be said for Edward.

Alphonse knew, of course.

Edward dated girls as well as guys – girls more frequently, simply because they were interested and he didn't have to worry about having slurs thrown at him if he ventured too far from Schöneberg (even Mariendorf, where they lived, was less accepting of men who liked men than Schöneberg was). When it came to girls, Edward wasn't particularly picky – there were certain personality traits that he tried to avoid, but he didn't care much for looks.

With men, however, Edward had a very specific type.

They were, without exception, dark-haired, dark-eyed, and fair-skinned. Most of them were soldiers – which wasn't terribly uncommon, given that the War hadn't ended terribly long ago. Alphonse knew why, but, fortunately, Edward seemed to realise this as well. Still, Ed had said again and again that he'd already met Mustang's double, and the man had been engaged to Hawkeye's double – what was worse, he'd seemed to _adore_ the girl. He didn't expect to find another man who looked like Mustang.

Ed insisted that Alphonse focus on his own life – and, indeed, despite the neighbourhood, Alphonse was doing well. Really, he knew that Ed couldn't much help the neighbourhood; it was either somewhere like Mariendorf in the south of the city or somewhere like Wedding in the north, and both brothers agreed that tenement houses were easier to deal with than factories all around. Mei didn't live terribly far from Mariendorf, although the neighbourhood in which she lived was certainly nicer. Alphonse often dragged his brother to have dinner at Mei's family's restaurant (these days with an impressive discount, which Ed suspected Mei's mother couldn't have been happy about).

Al had originally thought nothing of the attention which Ling paid Edward. He'd seen Ling with girls before, plenty of times. However, Mei was sure that that wasn't entirely the case.

“He has to be careful, you know, with men. But he does go to Shöneberg a lot... and I've seen him with some other men there...” She'd blushed slightly. “I think he's sweet on your brother. He'd never tell _you,_ of course, because of all the time you spent alone together... I think he's afraid that you'd want to avoid him.”

“I would never,” Alphonse said, confused. “I've seen Ed with plenty of men before – why would I care if _Ling_ likes men?”

Mei shrugged.

“...So you think Ling is sweet on Ed?”

“But Ed doesn't feel the same way; that's obvious.”

“No, but Ling is... very much Ed's type. Maybe a little young, but that shouldn't be too much of an issue.”

“What did you have in mind?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i keep adding to the total number of chapters.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [Character Studies: Shamballa Equivalents](https://archiveofourown.org/works/850111) by [xslytherclawx](https://archiveofourown.org/users/xslytherclawx/pseuds/xslytherclawx)




End file.
